Frank m



(No Model.)

I F. M. STARR. EXPANMBLE GONE FOR HAT MAKING MACHINES.

Patented Feb.

Uwiitnn TATES Parent rricn.

FRANK M. STARR, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONEJIALF TO CHARLES II. MERRITT, OF SAME PLACE.

EXPANSIBLE CONE FOR HAT-MAKING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,396, dated February 10, 1891. Application filed May 24, 1890. Serial No. 352,990. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK M. STARR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Danbury, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Expansible Cones, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement consists in an expansible cone for use in the manufacture of hats. Preferably this cone will be made of a headpiece secured to a rotary shaft, a number of slats or rods hinged at one end to the headpiece, a number of braces pivotally connected at one end to the slats or rods, and a runner or traveler movable lengthwise of the shaft and having the other ends of the braces pivotally connected to it.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of an expansible cone embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, taken at the plane of the dotted line a: co, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference designate corre sponding parts in both figures.

A designates a base'block, which may be made of wood or other suitable material and fastened at the bottom to any suitable support. Its upper-surface is shown as inclined downwardly toward the rear. On it are mounted two standards a 03,111 the upper portion of which is journaled a rotary shaft 13. This shaft has affixed to one end a driving-pulley C, and has fastened to its other end the head-piece D of an expansible eone consisting of the parts D D D D, as hereinafter described. As here shown,this headpiece is of conoidal form, and at the inner end or base is provided with an internallyscrew-threaded socket (Z, which engages with a screw-threaded nipple b on the shaft B. The socket, as here shown, is provided with a flange, which fits into a recess in the inner end or base of the head-piece, and is retained there by screws it. At the junction of the nipple b with the main portion of the shaft 13 a shoulder is formed, against which the socket may be forced by screwing it tightly upon the nipple.

D designates a number of slats or rods comprised in the expausible cone D D D D.

These slats or rods are of rigid material, and are at one end hinged to the head-piece D and near the other are pivotally connected to one end of braces D which at the other end are pivotally connected to a runner or traveler D which is fitted to the shaft B to slide lengthwise thereof. The connection of the slats or rods with the head-piece is to be such that they lie closely together, and their outer surfaces Will practically form a continuation of the outer surfaces of the head-piece. Preferably they will be hinged to the head-piece D by means of an intermediate piece of leather or like material 61 This piece (Z is of ring form, the hole in its center being of a size to fit snugly around the main' portion of the shaft B close to the nipple, and its circumference corresponding to the circumference of the headpiece D. Near the inner edge this piece cl is connected to the headpiece, and near the outer edge it is connected to the ends of the slats orrods D. The means employed for connecting the piece (1' to the head-piece, as here shown, consist of screws (Z which pass through the piece (Z thence through the flange of the socket (Z, and into the head-piece. Tacks or nails (1* serve in the present instance to fasten the slats or rods D to the piece (1 and are driven through the piece (Z into the ends of the slats or rods D.

The headpiece D and the slats or rods D may advantageously be made of wood. As here shown, they consist of strips arranged side'by side quite closely together. Preferably these slats or rods will be rounded on the outer side, so that together they will form an approximately uniform and continuous curve.

A convenient means for connecting the braces D to the slats or rods D consists of strips of metal (1, fastened between the ends by screws, nails, or otherwise to the inner sides of the slats or rods and bent so that their end portions will form parallel cheeks or jaws, between which the braces may fit. Pins d passed through the checks or jaws and through the braces, form a pivotal connection.

The runner or traveler D is shown provided with pairs of checks or jaws (7 which are adapted to receive the braces between them, and are provided in their outer edges with notches, into which fits a wire (.7 which passes through holes in the inner ends of the braces and is bound around the runner or traveler and tied at the ends. lSy moving the runner or traveler D toward the head-piece the slats or rods D will obviously be eX panded. The movement of the runner or travelerin the reverse direction will of course cause the contraction of the slats or rods. As the ring-shaped piece d is only fastened near the inner edge to the head-piece and near the outer edge to the slats or rods, it affords such a loose connection between the latter and the head-piece as to permit the slats or rods to swing outward or inward relatively-to thehead-piece. A considerable movementof the slats or rods at the outer ends may be produced without necessitating any considerable movement of the same at the course the link is pivotally connected to both of the levers. It is shown as sliding through a slot in the standard a which engages with the standard a and impinges against the link G,-serves as a means for locking the link in different positions, and

consequently for securing the runner or traveler in any desired position. Of course the leverE might be used directly as a means for shifting the runner or traveler; but I prefer a-second lever for this purpose. Preferably the slatsor rods D will be provided with ou-twardly-projecting pins (Z for securing hatbodies upon them and preventing the latter from slipping off.

An expansible cone such as I have de-' scribed will be found very useful in stiffening hat-bodies. In doing this work the hatbodies while still cone-shaped have the edge portion,w11ich is ultimately to form the brims of finished hats, dipped in a stitfeningdiquid. They will of course have the stiffening-liquid applied to both sides by this treatment; but 1 on that portion of the hat-bodies which ultimately will form the crowns of finished hats the stiffening is only to be applied to one side of the hat-bodies. At this stage in the manufacture of the hats the sides which ultimately will form the insides of the hats will be outward. Thestiffening which is applied to the portion of the hat-bodies that is to form the crowns of finished hats may be applied by dipping a brush in the stiffening-liquid and A hand screw H, l

erases rubbing it onto the hat-bodies while the latter are supported one ata time upon the cone. The cone may have a rotary motion imparted by hand or power during this operation. The expansibility of the cone in the work of thus stiffening the hat-bodies is advantageous in that it enables the cone to be used with varying shapes and sizes of hat-bodies.

My expansible cone may also be used to advantage in pouncing hat-bodies while they are still in the cone shape, for in this operation it is necessary that the cone should fit the bodies well, and the expansibility of my cone enables it to be adapted to tightly fit hat-bodies of different sizes and thus obviates the necessity for changing cones frequently.

My cone will also be found useful in stretching all sizes of hat-bodies while in the cone shape to bring them to a standard size.

It is obvious that thecone may be locked when adjusted to any size, so as to preserve it in that condition.

\V hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a rotary shaft, mechanism substantially such as described for retating said shaft, a head-piece flaring from the center outwardly and rearwardly, a number of slats or rods having a swinging connection at one end with said head and extending longitudinally from said head, so as to be substantially flush therewith, and means substantially such as described for moving the slats or rods transversely toward and away from the rotary shaft,substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a rotary shaft and mechanism substantially such as described for rotating the shaft, of a head-piece on the shaft fiarin g from its center rearwardly-and outwardly, a number of slats or rods arranged closely together and hinged at one end to said head and serving to extend its form longitudinally, a runner on the shaft, and braces connected to the slats or rods and to the said runner, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of a rotary shaft and a number of slats or rods connected thereto at one end, so as to be free to swinglaterally, a number of braces connected to said slats or rods near their other ends, a runner or traveler fitted to slide on said shaft andconnected to said braces, a lever for shifting said runner or traveler, and a lever connected by a link to the first-named lever, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a rotary shaft and a number of slats or rods connected thereto at one end, so as to be free to swing laterally, a number of braces connected to said slats or rods near their other ends, a runner or traveler fitted to slide on said shaft and connected to said braces, a lever engaging with said runner or traveler, a lever having a link connection with the first-n anied 1GVG1,LI]C1 a lock for holding the lever in position, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of a rotary shaft, a Signednt Danbnry, in the county of Fairhead-piece'secured thereto, a number of slats field and State of Connecticut, this 10th day 10 or rods and a ring of leather or like material of Mary, A. D. 1890. fastened near the inner edge to the headr piece and near the outer edge to the slats or hANk SIARR' rods, a sliding collar or runner, and braces \Vitnesses: connected to said slats or rods and collar, sub- T. H. OOOLEY, stzmt-ially as specified. E. T. HOYT. 

